Crude
by Nariel Helyanwe
Summary: She was a woman out of time, who fought to live, becoming a cold-hearted survivor. The kid would be fine, she'd known that. She'd know that all along. But that was later, much later. "Come on kid, we can't stay here." OC/Self-insert.


**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The Croods**_**. This work is merely for leisure and not for any profit whatsoever.**

**AN: This idea's been floating around my head for some time, ever since I watched **_**The Croods**_** and I've been reading many SI these past few months so I thought why not? Thank you for reading, if you can, please leave a review.**

**Nariel H.**

**Summary:** She was a woman out of time, who fought to live, becoming a cold-hearted survivor. The kid would be fine, she'd known that. She'd know that all along. But that was later, much later. "Come on kid, we can't stay here."

_Crude_

_One- Mira_

**I.**

"_Mama! Mama! __Look what Papa taught me!" _

"_My, my, a little archer in the making."_

"_Sweetheart what are doing up so late?"_

"_Studying Papa, I've gotta work hard if I'm going to become an archaeologist!"_

"_Your father would be so proud of you, little archer. So am I for that matter."_

"_Look at these! The bone structure- it's a Cro-Magnon, female by the look of it, and-"_

"_LOOK OUT!"_

Crushing, shock, _gasp, what's happening?!, painpainpainpainhelpmeIwannalivepleasehelpHELPHEL-_

Darkness.

-M-

Mira was unusual, unnatural and verging on disturbing. Which, normally, was bad. Very bad. For both the Tribe and her. Especially for her. Because being unusual, meant that you were different. And being different meant that you could- most likely- be a threat. But Mira was smart, extremely smart for her kind, and for her time, and that was what most likely kept her alive. She gurgled and reached and crossed her eyes in the funny ways all babies had. The expressions on her face were a whole new level of cute and eventually, the Tribe had decided that their newest addition was indeed, normal, if slightly quiet.

But when no one was around, the gurgles ceased abruptly and Mira turned serious, blue eyes sharp, intense and _focused_, almost burning as they darted around her. The expression was frightening on her soft, baby features because no baby was supposed to look at the world with such awareness and _understanding_.

Even her mother, Hira, hadn't noticed, because the only time she would ever drop the act was when the Tribe was asleep, and so no one ever suspected.

_And she was going to keep it that way._

-M-

It wasn't until a few weeks passed after waking up screaming and being held by an apparent giant that Mira came to terms on what had happened. She had died during an expedition. The cave had collapsed on top of her team whilst they were going through the remains, too caught up with an apparent breakthrough that they had stupidly forgot a basic rule. Check for stability.

'_Idiot,' _she thought,_ 'All those years of studying, getting your Masters, finding actual archaeological remains and what do you do? You forget to check for bloody stability like a fucking _rookie_. God, I'm pathetic.' _

But therein lied the problem, and the current reason for her migraine, _she had died_. Hadn't she? There was no way she could have survived that rock fall, not when they had been so deep underground. _So why was she alive?_ Of course she was currently stuck as a bloody baby now but that was schematics.

'_Unless,'_ her mind whispered,_ 'you've been reborn.'_

But that wasn't possible, was it?

'_Possible until proven false,'_ came the reply. Mira frowned, _'I'm pretty sure it was 'Innocent until proven guilty.'… Wait why am I arguing with myself? Dammit this reincarnation business has left me so fucking confused!'_ Mira groaned. Well she tried to, at least. It came out more like as if she was blowing a raspberry, which had Hira cooing over her slightly.

'_Well, I might as well try to enjoy this life as well,'_ Mira thought, Hir-_Mother's_ gentle rocking lulling her to sleep, _'Best not let anyone realise I'm different though… Hmm, I wonder why everyone's wearing animal skins…' _

-T-

His mate, Hira, was cooing over little Mira. Thrane felt a smile tug at his lips at that sight. They had been trying for many summers now for a child. Mira hadn't been the first, but she was the only one to survive past her birthing. Lack of food, water and illness had taken four little lives before her, but his mate was strong, strong enough to overcome those times and to finally bear him a child. And what vitality his daughter had, screaming much louder than any other child of the Tribe had when she was borne. It had left Hira exhausted, and to a certain extent Thrane as well, but he had been so joyful when bleary deep blue eyes, _"just slightly darker than your own," _Hira had whispered, first opened.

It had been hell for him during the first few days when Mira refused to make a sound, not crying unless for food or because she had soiled and the Tribe had been whispering. How strange that the child was so quiet, so still, it wasn't normal, wasn't _natural-_

Thrane stopped his thoughts. That had past, everything was good now. His mate was recovering; his child safe and full of life; and the Tribe was strong.

'_Yes,'_ Thrane thought, _'For once, everything was good.'_

* * *

**II.**

It hadn't taken Mira long to realise that she wasn't living in her original time. No she'd been reborn far, far before then. Her first clue was the animal skins, and the fact that the people- _her parents- _didn't seem to have a fixed home, or even shelter. She'd thought that they were nomads, living far from civilisation then. Not the best living standards, but it could be worse.

-M-

_Mira reached out, grabbing at the faded orange pelt that covered her mother's strong frame. That was another thing she noticed, her mother was powerfully built, having muscles that wouldn't look out of place on an Olympic sprinter. The man that stayed by their side- Thrane, her mother would whisper, eyes soft, smile wide- even more so, muscles large and hard, features harsh and towering over her. But Mira felt no fear when he held her against his chest, stiff and awkward. _'Father,'_ she thought, smiling falling asleep to the beating of her father's heart._

_They wouldn't ever replace Mama and Papa, but they would be Mother and Father._

-M-

It was when Hira-'_Mother_,' she reminded herself- brought her out to meet the Others did she get her second clue. Crudely dressed, covered in a layer of dirt, tanned and scarred, and some had slightly sloping foreheads. That was when she had her first inkling of exactly when she was living.

-M-

"_Hira! Is this the little one?" Another woman, as tall as her mother and with just as much muscle, called out. Mira blinked as she felt her mother shift slightly, greeting the newcomer, "Bira, sister, meet Mira." _

'Sister? So Bira's my Aunt then,' _Mira mused, looking around as much as she could. There wasn't any shelter, had they come out from a cave? She dimly noted that like Mother, Bira too was dressed in an animal pelt, except with black and white stripes, maybe she was in Africa? But no, their skin colour was far too light…_

_Mira frowned, things weren't adding up. Who stilled lived in caves, and in fact, Bira was the first person she'd met other than Mother and Father, shouldn't there had at least been a midwife? Even the bone structure, Bira's forehead was sloping, her mother's too, slightly, which was odd, perhaps a deformity?_

_Mira huffed; she still had no idea where she'd been reborn._

-M-

But it was her third clue that gave her the proof of exactly when she'd been reborn in. The ground had started to tremble, a warning was shouted, and her parents and the Others gathering her and the other children before running- _much faster than it should be possible for a human to-_ to high ground did she see a herd of elephants stampeding across where they had been a few minutes ago. _'No, not elephants,' _she realised with dawning horror, _'Mammoths.'_

Mammoths which had been extinct since the fucking _Holocene_\- four and an half _thousand_ years ago. And the mammoths, from what she could see, looked like they were of an older subspecies, the Woolly mammoth, meaning that she was stuck somewhere in the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic time period. And judging by the features of the people around her- _'Cro-Magnon,'_ Mira thought, hysteria bubbling in her, _'God-fucking-dammit, someone's having a laugh up there.'_

She'd take her previous statement back. This was downright a bloody nightmare.

Mira figured that she could be forgiven for bursting in to tears and throwing a tantrum. After all, she'd just found out that she'd been reborn almost thirty thousand years before her original time.

* * *

**III.**

She'd been mocked several times Then, for being the poor scholarship girl, coming from a rural background in Asia, learning to farm before she could speak properly, taking part in hunts, skinning and cooking animals when others learned Mathematics, Science and English. She'd pester Papa on how to make rope, how to shoot, how to carve, before Mama would fuss at her to go study, so she could better herself. When she'd finally had the chance to enter a university, she'd been an outcast, the social pariah, and sometimes, resentment would fill her and she'd snarl at the injustice, at how pathetic her family-she- was and hatehate_hate-_

Mira had never been so glad that she still remembered what she had learned the first time she was a child.

-M-

Mira was three when she first learned about of the Tribe.

"_Father what's the Tribe?" _

_Her father pulls her onto his lap and runs his fingers through her dark hair, "The Tribe, Mira, is what keeps us alive, it's what looks after us when we sleep, it's what hunts for us when we are injured, and what feeds us when we are old. In return only the strong can remain in the Tribe, because if one is weak, then the Tribe is weak and that is a threat," he rumbles._

"_But what if they're hurt or sick?" she questions._

"_Then they must recover. Or they will be left to die."_

She was three when she realised how much more cruel her new world was.

-T-

Thrane watched his daughter sharpen his axe. Mira, his pride and joy, was a bright child, far smarter than the rest of the Tribe's children, most times only needing to be explained what to do once before being able to perform the act. _'In fact,' _Thrane thought, _'she might be smarter than the rest of the Tribe altogether. She'll be strong when she grows up.'_

Though truthfully, there were times when Mira's observations and ideas frightened him. If he couldn't reach his prey, why not throw his knife? It would cover a greater distance after all. If they covered themselves with animal pelts couldn't they make a big shelter the same way? Then they wouldn't have to look for caves for shelter and to sleep in all the time, and maybe they wouldn't have to move all the time as well. If the Tribe Elders told stories and painted on the cave walls, why not use the paint to mark out places where there was water or shelter or where prey frequented?

Thrane was scared, by his three-year-old daughter. Because his daughter- barley reaching his knees- came up with ideas that the Tribe had never even dreamed of. He made her promise to only say her ideas to him, because the Tribe would suspect Mira, his sweet, caring Mira, of being different, of being unnatural, and would view her as a threat. But Thrane knew better, her ideas would benefit the Tribe. As long as the Tribe saw the power of her ideas first and how they could help the Tribe, she would be safe. Until then, he couldn't risk Mira's safety.

"_Mira, promise me you'll only tell your ideas to me. You know what the Tribe believes: New is always bad."_

_Mira frowns, but relents, "I promise Father." _

_Thrane smiled, ruffling her hair, "Good girl."_

-M-

Mira was four when her parents allow her to wander off, as long as she stayed in sight of the Tribe. She was grateful that this time, the tribe had stopped in an area with some vegetation. Daylight was fading, and it would be night soon, meaning that she had little time to carry out her experiment.

Pushing through the vegetation, being careful not to seem too purposeful, Mira searched until she found it- a piece of dead stalk. It was brown, meaning that the fibre in it was dry but still strong. Carefully flattening the wood, her new body was much stronger than her old one, she broke apart the stalk into two halve longitudinally, before pulling out the wood pieces, leaving behind two ribbons of fibre. Grinding the ribbons between her thumb and fingers to soften them, Mira then rubbed them together to keep them roughly connected. _'And now, then fun starts,'_ she thought wryly. Folding the fibre ribbon in half, she knotted the fold before proceeding to wrap the two strands around each other. After a while she gave a huff of triumph, in her hands was the very first piece of rope made by Man. _'Though this is probably cheating,'_ Mira thought as she ran back to her mother.

-M-

Mira was six when her parents bring her to hunt with the hunting party. The hunt was successful.

It was then when Mira finally realised just where she was. Their prey, a young Bear Owl, was her fourth clue, and the final nail in the coffin. She'd seen that animal before, not during her archaeological studies, but when she'd watched a movie, The Croods.

She'd gone into shock then; her parents believing it was due to the fact that one member of their party had been killed during the hunt. She didn't correct them when they told her that.

* * *

**IV.**

Mira had gone hunting with her father again. At seven years of age, she was one of the Tribe's most promising members, and the best hunter of her age group. And that title was only enforced when she learned how to track properly. She had startled her father when she told him about her new skill; he hadn't truly believed her at first, but he knew that Mira's ideas had merit. They came back from their hunt with a rare Yaklion.

Brow furrowed in concentration, Mira studied the ground carefully before stating that a Ramu had passed by the area and that it'd seem to be limping. Her father had given her the Look before sighing and telling her to lead the way, distracted.

She couldn't blame him though. Her mother was currently very heavily pregnant again and due to give birth any day now. Thrane had been fussing over Hira for days before Hira had finally gotten fed up and had Bira kick him out of the cave with orders to hunt.

It was the first time Mira had ever seen her father look lost, she noted with minor amusement. Not that she could blame him though; pregnancies during these times were extremely risky for both the baby and the mother. She'd known that her mother had several miscarriages before her, and that her own pregnancy had been extremely taxing for Hira. Snapping out of her revere, she realised that they had caught up with the injured Ramu, and that her father had moved to corner the Ramu from the left. Sighing, Mira unsheathed her dagger, _'Better make sure Father doesn't get himself killed.' _Injured or not, there was a reason why the Ramu only feared the Bear Owl.

-M-

Returning to camp, Mira stiffened slightly as she noticed the unusually sombre mood of the Tribe. Sharing a worried glance with her father, they quickly deposited their kill at the kill pile before hurrying to their cave.

They were stopped by an ashen-faced Bira and a solemn Elder. "Elder Karr, Bira," Thrane greeted, warily, placing a hand on Mira's shoulder. The elder sighed, "There is no delicate way to say this. Hira is dead."

"_What?!"_ Mira choked, tears welling up in her eyes. "H-How- the birthing? What about the baby-"

"The _baby_ was deformed, it lacked an arm. It's been disposed of," Bira snarled, spitting out the word like a curse, "It took my _sister_ away from me. _Good riddance._"

Mira flinched as if she was slapped. Thrane's grip tightened painfully. "How could-"

"_Mira._"

She stiffened, her father looked like a barely restrained beast, but his voice was calm and steady when he spoke. "Thank you for informing us Elder, Bira. I wish to bury my mate and baby."

"You want to _bury_ th-that _FREAK?!_' Bira screeched, "_That freak-_"

"Is my _child_," Thrane cut in, voice colder than the howling winds of the desert night. Mira flinched despite herself.

The Elder stared at Thrane for several moments, before nodding, "Very well. I am sorry for your loss."

It was the first time Mira had ever been terrified by her father.

-M-

They didn't say a word as they entered the cave. Blood-_copperyfoulchoking_\- permeated the air. There's a coldness Mira felt as well. Her mother lied slumped against the back of the cave wall, looking to the world like she was merely sleeping. Her father knelt next to Hira, eyes filled with grief and unshed tears, and his hands-_shaking_\- tenderly held her face, gently placing his brow upon hers.

_Drip, drip, drip. _Reaching up to touch her face, Mira realised that she too was shaking, _'I'm… Crying?' _When was the last time she'd cried?

Rubbing furiously, Mira looked around the cave before noticing a small bundle in the corner. She stumbled towards it, chocking back her sobs. It was drenched with blood. Shakily her hands-_they'recoveredwithbloodhersibling'sbloodohgod-_ unwrapped the bundle.

She couldn't hold back her sobs in time.

She'd had a brother. A brother that she would have loved, would have gone to the ends of the earth for. A brother who was merciless murdered because he only had an arm, _but was perfect otherwise_.

Rage. It was burning deep within her. And grief, it was crushing her-

"Mira."

She jumped holding her brother's body close, eyes meeting the equally red ones of her father. Thrane's eyes strayed to the body in her arms and he seemed to shrink into himself. "Come, we must go," he rumbled, picking up her mother's body in his arms.

-M-

"_He has Mother's eyes…"_

"…_Mira. Promise me that you'll get stronger, that you won't let the Tribe take you away from me. Please."_

"_I will Father. I swear it."_

_She clings to her father and cries like a baby, and if Thrane's grip was tighter than usual, his breathing a little harder, neither mentions it._

Mira was seven when she begins to hate the Tribe.

* * *

**V.**

Years pass, but the grief, the rage, doesn't fade.

The Tribe praises her and her ability to singlehandedly take down prey twice her size. Mira didn't care. She'd become distant, cold to everyone other than Thrane. Her father was the only one she went hunting with now, not trusting anyone else to watch her back. She came to accept her mother's passing, it was life, but she never forgave the Tribe for taking away her brother. Her father was still loyal to the Tribe though, and that was the only reason she stayed. Thrane hoped for peace, and deep in her heart, so did Mira.

She should've known that peace would never happen. Not when there was this much animosity between her and the Tribe.

-M-

A sneeze.

One sneeze was all it took for the Tribe to go into a frenzy of panic.

Mira should have expected this, and in some way she had, but for the first time since her rebirth, her future knowledge was absolutely useless. Not so much because she couldn't treat the illness but more so because she didn't know which herbs could be safe to use. Even plants evolved when thirty thousand years passed.

Granted, she knew which were poisonous, she'd been experimenting on her prey and, when she felt it was safe, herself as well. The three summers she spent in almost-exile were used to better her hunting skills and her knowledge of the herbs that could be used. Mira learnt that the small bell-shaped purple flowers that grew in patches in the marshes were poisonous and caused hallucinations when eaten, but if mashed up with the bark of a willow-looking tree- she was going to call it a willow tree- and those little red berries that grew near the river they made some of best damn painkilling slave she had ever had the good fortune of stumbling across. Those flowers bloomed for a short time, barely a moon, but they bloomed in a great number. They died away into a thick blue-purple fruit that was edible and quite tasty. The seeds were large, flat and when grinded with another canary yellow swamp flower and the sap from a pine-looking tree, they turned into a pleasant tasting paste that, she noticed, acted as a mild detoxification and as a repellent to mosquitoes. But that was the extent of her knowledge. A herb or mixture to lower fever? Well shit.

With one of the Tribe- that was her cousin, Hios, wasn't it? - falling ill, it wouldn't be long before the disease spread. _'So the only question is what exactly are you willing to do survive? To make sure Father survives,' _her mind whispered.

Mira's eyes darkened. _'What indeed._' She wasn't the sweet little girl she was three years ago.

-T-

Thrane sighed. It had been a taxing time since his mate and son passed. His, and Mira's, standing hadn't dropped in the Tribe; accidents happen after all, it was just unfortunate that it had happen to them. No the main cause of his worry was his daughter- his headstrong, brilliant daughter- who, had she been borne in a different time, would have flourished even more so then now. He sighed. He knew Mira resented the Tribe, he did too to a certain extent, but both of them had known that their chances of survival were much higher with the Tribe than on their own. Thrane knew that his daughter chose to stay because of him, and for that he was grateful, because he didn't know what to do if he had to choose between his daughter and the Tribe.

Hios, his sister-son had taken ill. And Thrane feared it was the same illness that stole so many of the Tribe's people moons before Mira had been borne. Though, perhaps Mira would be able to save the Tribe with one of her ideas.

Thrane hoped she could, before the deaths occurred again.

-M-

Mira stared at the herbs she'd collected. Oddly, the Tribe Elders had decided that the area they were currently in would be safe to stay at for several moons. She hadn't questioned them; the area was filled with thick vegetation which would be a good opportunity for her to find new prey and herbs. Within the first week, she'd built a small shelter where she'd stashed all her herbs, tools and small projects she'd been working on. Mira had been happily carving out a bow, it was a little crude, but should be functional, when the disease started.

Which was the reason for her current frustrations. Which herb or mixture would lower the fever? And how, for the matter, would she get the ill to even try her concoctions without trying to destroy them? Mira sighed, _'Paranoid old shits.'_ Mira frowned. Granted she didn't know which were fatal but it wasn't as if she'd be shoving a fist full of leaves into them, the least they'd get would be a stomach ache or food poisoning.

So that left her with getting them to ingest her mixtures without noticing it.

…

Damn.

Say what you will about prehistoric Man. They weren't that bright, but they weren't oblivious. In fact, they seemed almost hyperaware about possible threats. Which wasn't surprising considering the harsh environment they lived in. Added to the fact that on average, Cro-Magnon brain capacity was actually larger than the modern- future?- human brain capacity, possibly the reason for her almost animalistic awareness and reflexes. So that left her with the option of knocking out her vict-patient, either by force or anaesthetic.

Mira sighed; hopefully she'd be able to find a plant that made for a natural anaesthetic.

-M-

Over the past week after much trial and error, Mira had managed to create an anaesthetic, the only problem? It was too strong.

"Goddammit!" Mira cursed as the Bunny Beast, which she had coaxed into eating anaesthetic-laced vegetation, stopped breathing.

The anaesthetic was too potent, not only causing the target to be rendered unconscious; it paralysed all of the target's skeletal muscles, including the diaphragm, causing the target to asphyxiate. And worse, she'd realised that the metabolic rate of the Bunny Beast was actually nearly twice as high as a Cro-Magnon's. Meaning that if its body, which should be able to get rid of such toxins twice as fast a Cro-Magnons, couldn't detoxify the anaesthetic fast enough, there was no way any of the Tribe could survive even half a dosage.

'_Back to square one then,'_ Mira thought she skinned the carcass, the pelt would replace her current dress nicely and the tusks would provide decent knives when sharped. Mira sighed. Well, at least she'd gained a new poison for hunting. Perhaps she should try making some darts too.

-M-

It wasn't until two weeks later that she finally found what she was looking for.

'_Though, I probably shouldn't be so reckless next time,'_ Mira thought wincing, as she applied her burn slave. It was extremely effective, cooling the area immediately and her skin would barely scar once it healed, but unfortunately it was extremely foul smelling as well.

_She'd been extremely careless, and stupid in hindsight, flaying her arm as she vented her anger on being unable to find the right plant while the disease continued to spread._

_She conveniently forgot that she'd been holding a torch at the time._

_It was only through sheer dumb luck that Mira realised there was a fire before it spread too widely and managed to contain it. And then promptly collapsed._

_She'd woken up a few hours later, judging by the position of the moon, and would later berate herself for her utter _idiocy_. Of course, Mira was currently deliriously happy that she'd found her plant._

"_I'm calling you poppy plants!" She exclaimed, laughing, "It's odd that you're so similar to the opium plants back Then…" Mira giggled as she stumbled her way back, needing to use her burn slave._

Though, that may have been a side effect of breathing in those fumes…

-M-

Eventually, Mira realised that, yes, the poppy fumes were addictive if breathed in too frequently and that too much would affect the effectiveness of her mixtures. It was fortunate, Mira noted, that it only took about three breathes to knock a person out.

She'd hardened her resolve, _'The only way to find a cure is through testing.'_ Her eyes drifted towards a sleeping Hios, _'And if anything happens, then it was just unfortunate. No love lost either way.'_

It had struck Mira later how cold and apathetic she'd been about life and how ruthless she would be to ensure her own and her father's survival.

_But she didn't regret it._

-M-

There had never been a need for her to rush to make her 'new' experiments. Not until now. Now she was fighting against time to find the right antidote. Because Thrane, _Father_, had fallen ill. And that stupid, stubborn _oaf_ refused to rest. She'd only realised it two days before, when she'd brushed against him to find him _burning_. She'd screamed, panicked and all but begged him to rest and the Tribe Elders to place him with the ill.

They'd refused. Both of them. Her father because he felt too many of the Tribe was already ill and there were too little abled to hunt, the Elders because they believed that Thrane was strong, and if he fell to the illness, then he was too weak to be of use to the Tribe. Never mind the fact that many of the young ones and even some of the Elders were ill and _they_ got to rest, the former had so much promise, of course they would be given the chance to recover, the latter, well, they were the _Elders_, the respected ones, so _of course_ they could rest. But not her father. Her father who had brought in twice the number of kills any other member had, who had trained half of the younger ones in hunting and fighting, _who had served the Tribe for forty summers._

Mira was under no delusions; Thrane would die if he kept this up. She'd never felt so helpless before.

Nor had she ever come so close to committing mass homicide.

-M-

'_How strange,'_ Mira mused. At her mother's and brother's passing two summers ago, she'd felt so much rage and grief.

At her father's, she'd felt nothing.

'_No, not nothing,'_ she mused, _'I feel empty… And tired.' _She couldn't ever summon the energy to cry.

It was then that Mira disappeared. Mira had been the young, not-so-naïve girl that tottered after her parents, who took the Tribe's teaching and praises as mild annoyances.

The girl, no woman, left was an empty shell of her, one who wanted nothing to do but raze the Tribe and their precious beliefs to the ground.

_Kyo…_

The woman tilted her head one side. That had meant emptiness in one of the languages she'd known Then, wasn't it?

"Kyo. Emptiness." She smiled, "Mira can come back later, once the Tribe can no longer hurt us."

Kyo walked away, humming to herself. She'd protect them for now, and once it was safe, Mira could come back and they'd be the happy person they once were.

* * *

**VI**

There were many things Kyo had to do. The first was to relearn how to write. Or at the very least, relearn enough to take down notes. She'd have to find some place to write on as well, maybe bark? It wouldn't do to be forced to leave her research when the Tribe moved again. Or perhaps pelt would be a better choice; it'd be easier to keep and harvest. She'd need charcoal too or she could steal some of the paint the Elders had.

Kyo nodded to herself, it was a decent plan. She sidestepped the swipe of the Koaleopard she'd been hunting, twisting her body and driving her blade into the exposed belly of the big cat, before rolling out of the way of its snapping jaws. Her prey had put up a thrilling fight, but it wouldn't be long before her poison began to work its magic and knock it out. Though, judging by how fast the blood was gushing out of the beast, it might just die of blood loss first. Kyo grinned, it'd been the most fun she'd had for a while.

-K-

_**Previous tests**_

**_Testing of Poppy-fumes on Mira, female, nine summers, and wildlife._**

**_Composition: Stalks of poppy burnt on a flame._**

**_Observations: Poppy-fumes able to knock Mira out for several hours but caused Mira to be slightly delirious and intoxicated upon awakening. Symptoms lasted for a few minutes. Later tests on wildlife show that a larger dosage of Poppy-fumes directly affects the behaviour of the affected and the duration until the subject returns to normal. Excessive exposure seems to cause an increased aggression on the subject once the effects wear off.  
Conclusion: Large animals or those with higher metabolic rates require at least __five__ breaths before they become unconscious, but not over __eight__, as they become significantly more aggressive. Assumption that Cro-Magnon would require __two to three__ breaths, depending on size to be rendered unconscious without any ill effects. Possibility of (Poppy-fumes) being addictive if inhaled too frequently._**

**_Testing of (I) on Hios, male, eight summers._**

**_Composition: Mint-like herb with grinded purple bellflowers seeds and pine sap._**

**_Observations: Fever was brought down by the second dosage, but subject expressed other physical symptoms, vomiting, dizziness and an inability to control motor functions after third dose.  
Conclusion: Possibility of (I) being poisonous in too large a dosage._**

**_Testing on experimental mixtures on the ill (fever)_**

**_Note: Each subject will be give one dosage of a specific mixture each 'Day'. The dosages will not stop until the subject recovers with no adverse effects or passes._**

**_Testing of (I) on Hios, male, eight summers.-Continued_**

**_Day I:_**

**_Observation: Subject unable move upon awakening at day break. Some movement was possible at mid-day. Upon feeding subject Detox mixture at mid-day, full movement was possible by day end. Subject had a mild fit when Poppy-fumes were introduced, but no other reaction.  
Conclusion: Possibility of Detox mixture being able to neutralise or aid in removing toxins from the body. Possibility of Poppy-fumes being poisonous when large dosages of (I) are in the body beforehand._**

**_Day III:_**

**_Observation: Subject collapses at mid-day after several hours of hunting and exertion. Subject undergoes symptoms similar to cardiac arrest; however shortness of breath was noticed before the attack occurred. Subject passes a few moments after collapse. Aid is not given.  
Conclusion: Small dosages of (I) are able to quickly lower fever, however larger dosage are detrimental to subject's health. It is advised that the subject does not exert himself immediately after recovery. Large dosages of (I) seem to cause partial paralysis of the skeletal muscles for several hours, but is completely neutralised by Detox mixture after several hours. Possibility of (I) having adverse effects on respiratory and cardiac systems. Possibility of Detox mixture becoming poisonous when in contact with large dosages of (I) or with Poppy-fumes. Further testing required. (I) is not safe for excessive consumption, though is possible to become a poison for hunting._**

**_Testing of (VII) on Riel, female, twenty summers._**

**_Composition: Mint herb grinded with maple sap and red river berries._**

**_Day I: _**

**_Observation: No changes seen to subject.  
Conclusion: Unconfirmed._**

**_Day II: _**

**_Observations: Fever was brought down. However subject appears to be extremely lethargic, but is able to be conscious for several hours at a time. No adverse effects seen.  
Conclusion: Possibility of (VII) being able to reduce the fever without harmful effect to subject._**

**_Day V:_**

**_Observations: Fever has completely broken and no ill effects are seen on the subject. Number of dosages likely to depend on size and age of future subjects.  
Conclusion: (VII) is successful; renamed 'Feverfew'._**

**_Testing of (XII) on Karr, male, fifty-six summers_**

**_Composition: Red river berries grinded with white fern and maple sap._**

**_Day I:_**

**_Observation: Subject immediately goes into cardiac arrest and passes. Aid is given. Subject however, does not awaken or move when this occurs.  
Composition: Highly likely that (XII) is extremely poisonous. Possibility of (XII) being a paralytic. Unknown if age or size affects strength of poison. Possibility of 'white fern' being poisonous._**

**_Testing of (XII) on wildlife_**

**_Observation: Targets' sizes directly affect the symptoms exhibited once (XII) was introduced. Larger animals, eg, Bunny Beasts and Koaleopards, do not exhibit any adverse effects when exposed to one dart of (XII), after two darts however, they collapse. Medium and small animals, eg Ramus and Jakrobats, collapse after one dart. It is noted that eating the meat of the targets does bring adverse effects on other wildlife and likely to Cro-Magnons as well.  
Conclusion: (XII) is extremely poisonous to small and medium animals, including Cro-Magnons, and should not be used for hunting purposes. It is however a fast-acting poison and is possible to be used for defence._**

**_Overall conclusions_**

**_(I) is poisonous in large dosage, and is not affected adversely by Poppy-fumes or Detox mixture. Detox mixture is able to neutralise (I) when (I) is not in too large a dosage. (I) can be used for hunting; no adverse effects are seen when eating animals killed by it._**

**_(II), (III), (IV) and (X) have no effect on the ill or wildlife._**

**_(V), (VIII), (IX) and (XII) are poisons and should not be used for hunting at all. May be used for defence, but that is unlikely. Also, 'White Fern' is extremely poisonous however, it can be neutralised by (VI). _**

**_(VI) is able to neutralise most poisons and venoms, including the Sand Snake's venom, however it does not build resistance to the poison or venom. It has to be ingested before an hour passes, otherwise it will not work. It can also be placed directly on top of the snakebite to maximise chances of survival. Renamed: Anti-venom._**

**_(XI) has no effect on the ill or wildlife, however if diluted, acts similar to a body wash._**

**_(VII) is able to bring down and break fevers successfully with no adverse effects. Renamed: Feverfew._**

**'_Maple sap' when coated on pelt makes the pelt waterproof, high possibility of the pelt being made into a functional waterskin._**

-K-

It had taken three moons for the disease to pass. During that time, the once thirty-some strong Tribe had dwindled to seventeen members. Eleven had been killed by her, the rest by the sickness.

She had saved sixteen.

* * *

**VII.**

In the wake of the Great Illness, the Tribe had decided to stay in the area for the following moons, at least, until the winter passed. Stuck between a gorge and a dense forest, it was unlikely the Tribe could cover either area fast enough before the winter came. There was plenty of prey, a steady supply of fresh water and shelter anyways, which was enough to support the Tribe for the winter moons.

Kyo had begun preparing for the winter as well, stashing her pelts, firewood and flint stones in areas where snow would be unlikely to fall on them. She hadn't had much experience with snow Then, but the nine-and-a-half summers spent here had taught her enough for her to survive at the very least.

Currently, she was tracking her prey, a young Korarabit. She was actually at odds with the season; the beginnings of autumn made it much easier to track prey due to lessening foliage, the shades of red, orange and yellow, made it easier for her to blend in with her surroundings in her golden Koaleopard pelt and the dark red stripes she'd painted on her limbs, shoulders and back.

However…

_Rustle, crack!_

"Dammit!" Kyo hurled her knife at the fleeing animal, but only just managing to skin it, "Bloody shitty leaves!" Snarling, she gave chase, barely stopping to pick up her knife, but the Korarabit was much more agile than her, able to make sharp turns without slowing and squeezing through tight areas underneath fallen logs she'd have to jump over or go around.

"Tch." Glaring at the spot where the animal disappeared to, Kyo scaled up a nearby tree. With any luck, she'd be able to spot an animal form a higher vantage and finally use her bow. It wasn't terribly accurate, but it would at the very least hit a target several meters away from her.

Pushing back her hair- it had grown long again, maybe she should braid it; long hair would keep her shoulders warmer in the following moons- Kyo drew her bow and took out two arrows, one she notched and the other she held between her teeth. Those damn leaves wouldn't be ruining her hunt this time!

-K-

Kyo was happy. Much happier than she had been since, well, Thrane's passing. And she was currently trying not to squeal like a bloody idiot. She'd caught the Korarabit that escaped her and found a school of… Kyo didn't really know what type of fish they were- looking like a cross between a shark and a crocodile- but _hell_ they'd been an utter pain to catch. It had taken her from mid-day to day end before she'd bagged herself the baddest bitch in the pond. It was a meter long and about half a meter wide with scales, Kyo had realised, that were strong enough to withstand a direct blow from her knife, resulting in her being faced with a maw filled with razor sharp _serrated_ teeth of an extremely pissed off and aggressive fishy. She'd eventually killed it by shoving one of her arrows through it head from its mouth- she'd gained a nice pattern of scars for that. Tired and inordinately pleased with herself, Kyo was about to return back to her shelter when a flash of silver had caught her eye. Dropping the Sharkodile, her hand lashed out to pluck the object out of the water.

Kyo stared.

The object, just small enough to fit comfortably in her hands, was the reason for her sudden excitement.

It was a metal nub. Exactly _what_ type of metal she didn't know but that wasn't the point. It was a piece of metal.

An honest-to-God piece of metal.

_Holy flying fuck._

She couldn't help it; Kyo squealed.

-K-

Sprinting her way back to her shelter, she dumped her catches into a corner, struck her flint and held the nub near the flame. The silvery surface gleamed. She wasn't dreaming, it _was_ an actual piece of metal. Which meant that there was a mine nearby, meaning-

'_Stop.'_ Kyo frowned. Even if there was a mine, she couldn't get to the metal. It was underground, and Kyo didn't have the tools she needed for mining, nor did she even know the basics of mining, so she couldn't do anything really. The best she could do was dive in the river and hope that she'd come across more of the metal nubs.

Sighing, Kyo settled down to de-scale her Sharkodile. The scales were ridiculously tough; maybe she'd be able to make them into a type of guard?

-K-

It startled Kyo, how easily she was getting the metal nubs. She had the distinct feeling that their current area was ridiculously rich in those nubs. She'd spent the last week figuring out how to weave baskets, not an easy thing to do; more often than not she'd end up breaking them before they were even half formed. She ended up with something that looked more like a pouch than an actual basket, but it worked so she wasn't that bothered.

Breaking the surface of the pond, Kyo hauled herself, and her catch, out of the water. She sat on the bank, and waited for most water to dry before leaving the pond. She'd spent the past week gathering the nubs out of the water, Kyo was pretty sure she had at least enough to make herself two new knives, which lead to the problems she was currently facing. One, she couldn't, and didn't know how to forge. Two, she was running out of metal. The rest of the metal was wedge in a crack behind a thick sward of weeds. Weeds that, Kyo had the unfortunate luck to find out first hand, were apparently were carnivorous. Kyo had to bandage her hands for a week.

'_Well,'_ Kyo thought, _'I suppose I'll just have to experiment.'_

-K-

She'd managed to melt the metal, finally, but she couldn't weld it. Kyo ended up dipping on of her knives into the molten metal and dumping them into a small pond to cool. She ended up with a stone knife coated with metal. She sharpened it, and realised giddily that it had a much better cutting power than before. It would never be as strong as a pure metallic blade, but it would still work nonetheless.

-K-

She'd gone fishing for the Sharkodile again- she had roughly fashioned herself a pair or arm-guards from its scales; she was hoping to make a pair of leg guards as well- this time only spending two hours fighting with the damn thing, and returned to her shelter(_home?_) different.

More specifically, she had a guest. An injured guest that was likely to squash her shelter/home with all the trashing it was making.

"Hold still, birdbrain," Kyo snarled at the Panther Eagle currently using her roof as a nest. Truthfully, he was quite the handsome beast, large silver eyes- currently narrowed, pupils in slits and most likely promising retribution of some sort- powerful jaws which had been tied shut earlier on, and pitch black fur melting seamlessly into strong, large and equally darkly feathered wings- _'A two meter wing span at the very least,'_ Kyo mused- one of which was currently very, very shredded. It was weakly straining against the rope she'd thrown around it earlier - the Poppy-fumes weren't able to fully knock it out, but did manage to calm it slightly- while Kyo worked on the damaged wings.

Really, Kyo wondered why on Earth she was even doing this; it would have been a free meal for her. Mira was probably influencing her; she'd always had a soft spot for catbirds. Damn her. She probably had a split personality now- not surprising considering the trauma her new life had thrown at her.

Rubbing her numbing paste on the injury, she grabbed her 'needle' and a thinner piece or rope before slowly beginning to stitch the wound up. Eventually, the wound was closed and cleaned, leaving Kyo tired and drained.

When she opened her eyes, she did not expect to come face to face with the catbird. She yelped and scrambled backwards, half expecting a face full of dagger-like fangs. The rope must have snapped or loosened when she'd been treating the catbird.

Instead, it nudged her, hard, purring happily.

'_Shit.'_

Kyo groaned, shoving it away from her, "Yes, yes you're welcome now _go_. _Shoo._" She was getting the sinking sensation that this was going to bite her in the ass sooner rather than later.

The Panther Eagle purred and pushed its head into her torso, obviously not following her instructions. Damn. She was going to have to sacrifice her catch to deal with this.

Grabbing her Sharkodile, she swiftly levered off the armour like scales and carved out a chunk of the fish, the slimy white flesh weighing her arm down, Kyo glanced at Panther Eagle. Silver eyes were glued to the piece of meat.

Sighing, she tossed it towards the beast and watched in mild amusement as the beast lurched onto its hind legs and caught the meat with a screech of triumph. Kyo huffed slightly, before climbing down from her bent roof- she'd have to repair that later- and onto the ledge next to her shelter, ready to enjoy her meal.

Her roof creaked, silver eyes peeked from above and the damn menace padded over and started crooning as she roasted a slab of fish over her flame. Kyo twitched, maybe if she ignored it, it would leave.

_Purr~_

"Dammit! Fine, take the bloody fish!" Snarling she tossed the remainder of her catch to the menace and stormed into her home. Hopefully it'd be gone by the next day.

-K-

The Panther Eagle didn't leave.

Kyo woke up the next morning to find it curled up on the branches above her shelter/home, basking in the sunshine like the overgrown feline it was.

It greeted her in the same fashion as a cat from Then as well, uncurling, jumping down from the branches with an agility that made Kyo jealous, and rubbing itself against her. Kyo felt a flash of annoyance as it looked at her with wide dilated eyes, pointedly being waited to be fed. Kyo huffed, tossing some dried meat at it, before marching off to have a bath. The damn thing padded after her, even joining her in the pond. _'Weren't cats supposed to dislike water?'_ Kyo twitched as the beast jumped into the pond, splashing her with water.

Against her will, Kyo smiled. She found herself having more fun than she had since Thrane passed.

Maybe she'd let the catbird stay.

-K-

She named him Gin, after his eyes.

* * *

**VIII.**

It had taken half a moon for the tear in Gin's wing to mend properly. During that time, Gin had made himself a fixture in Kyo's life and while she had initially been wary about having the catbird lurking over her shoulders, his presence soon came to be rather comforting and Kyo found herself surprised at how much she had missed the feeling of a companion.

Though that may have been due to them having run afoul of a swarm of Piranhakeets after a hunt. Gin had practically pulled her on top of him- she didn't know how- and took off running, barely keeping ahead of the carnivorous swarm as Kyo frantically tried to strike a flame. They almost hadn't made it; their path blocked fallen trees, until Kyo had managed to get a flame burning just before the birds were upon them. She had hugged Gin then, whispering a heartfelt thank you, getting a lick in return, Gin's long tail twitching happily.

They'd gone flying once Gin's wing had healed fully. It was _exhilarating_. Leaping form tree to tree brought her a sense of freedom because of how similar it felt to free-fall but it had nothing on flying with Gin. Gin was in no way tame, he wasn't some beast of burden; he was powerful, wild and free, something Kyo had felt deep in her bones during that first flight. It was almost as if they were flying with each other.

-K-

When it came to hunting, they worked together, herding their prey to where the other was with an uncanny precision. Transportation, however, was another matter. Gin was her only friend and Kyo refused to have him carry their kills like a pack mule, so it was an ongoing argument between them as the Panther Eagle was determined to aid his Rider in any manner. Never be said that Kyo wasn't stubborn; she hadn't survived so long on her own by being docile. So when she won the arguments, she'd skin the carcass, carve out slabs of meat, placing them in her pouch baskets, break some of the bone and haul their catch back home. When Gin won, she'd be left snarling as the catbird flew or ran back, their kill dangling in his jaws. It'd be half eaten and mostly mangled by the time she returned but at least he left her half.

Kyo huffed as she cleaned Gin's fur and feathers, "You're a damn nuisance you know." She mildly noted that it had considerably less bite in it than before. Gin purred.

-K-

They had been out tracking their prey when it struck. Kyo felt a faint tremor in the earth. She was about to shrug it off as nothing when she noticed how tense Gin had become. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Gin?"

Gin's ears and tail twitched once, twice, a sign that he was nervous, and his eyes- his pupils had become slits Kyo realised- flickered around them. Overhead, a swarm of Piranhakeets took to the skies. The sinking sensation worsened, it wasn't even mid-day yet, what had spooked them into risking the light?

The second tremor struck, stronger than the first, and Kyo realised what it was. _Earthquake._

She scrambled on top of Gin and they took off fly-running back to their home, just managing to reach it before the quake struck.

Kyo gasped as she stumbled, hands clutching her ropes, mixtures and notes, haphazardly tossing them in to an empty bag. She was lucky she had all her weapons on her person, she thought as she grabbed some of the dried meat and berries and two waterskins she stashed in a corner, those would last them a week if they were careful.

The shelter groaned, outside Gin screeched in warning, and she vaulted out of the door, throwing her bag containing the few items she managed to save over her shoulders, as the tree they'd been perched on swayed and began to collapse.

Gin was next to her the moment she was out, ducking underneath her and throwing them off the branch to avoid the falling tree that crushed their home. Kyo's heart clenched. That had been her home, the one place she felt safe, for six moons- the longest she'd ever stayed in a place.

Gin screeched as a tree fell in front of them, flying up sharply, forcing Kyo out of her dark thoughts and to cling onto his neck lest she fall to her death. Kyo briefly wondered how the Tribe was faring.

A sharp crack, a tree was almost upon them-!

Gin barrelled. Kyo couldn't even gasp as they crashed into the branches, Gin throwing his wings and curling his head, body and tail around her.

-K-

Kyo wasn't sure how long she had blacked out. When she came through, the shaking had stopped, the only thing she could feel other than the pain was Gin's body and wing curled around her.

"Gin!" Kyo gasped, forcing her eyes open, frantically trying to free herself. She'd forgotten how small she actually was.

When she freed herself, her heart stopped. _Why wasn't Gin moving?!_

"Gin! Gin, th-this isn't funny, wake up birdbrain! Oh God, oh God- GIN WAKE UP YOU BLOODY IDIOT! Don't leave me alone, please- wake up, please…" She trailed off half sobbing as she held her friend's head.

A soft puff of breath. Kyo's head snapped up, blue eyes staring into hazy-pain filled silver ones.

A strangled sob escaped her, and she buried her face into the crook of Gin's neck, "Stupid _idiot,_ you scared off ten years of my life." Gin whined, weakly nudging her with the side of his head. Kyo stiffened at the pain-laced tone. Had he been injured? Where-

A branch had fallen on top them, pinning Gin's left wing underneath it. "You _idiot_-" Kyo cut off, there wasn't time to berate either of them, she hurried looking for something to use a leverage. There was another large branch near them; Kyo nearly tripped, forcing her legs to _move_. Gin had _saved_ her; she had to free him-

Hauling the branch, she lodged it underneath the branch pinning Gin and _pushed_. Gin rolled, wing feathers being roughly, painfully, pulled loose, dragging his crushed wing free. Hastily, Kyo dropped the branch and rushed over to treat her friend. She felt sickened. The branch hadn't been heavy enough to kill Gin, but it had crushed the bones in his left wing.

Kyo was terrified that Gin wouldn't be able to fly again.

* * *

**IX.**

It was the beginning of The END.

She figured that she should have been in hysterics, but strangely, she was rather calm. She'd coaxed Gin into moving to a safer, more stable shelter. It wasn't the best, just some trees stacked on top of each other precariously; she'd tied them together with some of her thicker rope, hopefully it would prevent the trees from crashing while they rested.

She spent the rest of the day tending to her friend. She'd burnt him Poppies, the fumes would help dull the pain and calm both of them down, being careful not to inhale too much of the fumes. She put out the flames when Gin slumped, his injuries and the fumes sapping out what little energy he had left. Kyo desperately wanted to rest as well but she couldn't, not yet.

Taking a small branch, she held it underneath the injured wing, and used her rope to secure it to the wing, being mindful not to tie it too tightly; it would help set the bone properly before the healing process began. Then, she used her remaining rope to bind Gin's wing to his body. Hopefully the bones would heal properly with the proper support in two moon's time.

For now, Kyo would rest. She'd look for survivors the next day- it was an unlikely possibility but one could hope. Exhausted, Kyo closed her eyes, but she remained tense. She fell into a light, fitful sleep, mind unwilling to lose consciousness, but body desperate for the relief it would bring.

-K-

Daybreak came and with it, Kyo learnt the extent of the quake. Perched on one of few trees that remained upright, Kyo surveyed the area. _'We were so damn lucky,'_ Kyo realised, tired eyes scanning the ruined landscape. The forest had all but collapsed and the gorge had disappeared, melted by the lava that broke free when the earth cracked.

Kyo sighed, it was unlikely any of the Tribe had survived; there was a large red river of burning rock where the Tribe had been camping. Kyo stared at the blue sky overhead. Clouds slowly and gently blew across the sky, as if mocking her that everything was still the same.

The Tribe was gone. Did that mean that she could be Mira again? She was pretty sure she wasn't Kyo anymore. In fact, she doubted she'd been Kyo ever since she found Gin. Kyo had be the cold hearted woman that ruthlessly did anything to survive, even experimenting on the Tribe to ensure her survival; Mira had been the kind, caring child that also fought for survival in the harsh world but had come up with ideas so that others could benefit. She doubted she could ever fully be Mira again, but she hadn't been Kyo for a long time too.

But she had a life she wanted to live out fully, a future she wanted to see as Mira, not Kyo.

She stilled, _Mirai…_

Maybe she could be Mirai, at least, until she had learnt to be Mira again. It was fortunate that 'Mirai' sounded similar to 'Mira'. Becoming 'Mira' again was her goal after all, that and ensuring her and Gin's survival.

The newly dubbed Mirai hopped down from the tree, heading back to Gin. They couldn't stay here much longer; it wouldn't be long before the lava rose and overflowed the gorge, pouring into their forest, leaving a trail of fire, death and destruction in its wake.

* * *

**X.**

"Well buddy, it's just you and me now," Mirai said, running her fingers through Gin's fur as she stood next to him. Gin nudged her gently, purring as if to reassure her that he would stay with her.

"It's just me and you against the world."

The duo turned, facing the mid-day sun and began following the light. Maybe they'd make it to Tomorrow; a place where everything was better.


End file.
